Preservation of electronic records in Israeli government offices

Abstract Access to electronic records is dependent on the constantly changing and evolving computer technology. Unlike paper records that can survive for hundreds of years unless measures are taken to destroy them, electronic records do not persist unless deliberate steps are taken to preserve them. This paper suggests that most Israeli (and possibly other) government institutions naturally take steps to preserve electronic records necessary for their ongoing immediate operational needs. Nonimmediate or extraoperational needs, such as archiving according to state laws, are not given the fullest attention. To preserve the historical record of government institutions, computer systems must be designed and budgeted to comply with state archive laws and the long-term needs of society.